Occupant propelled roundabout



June 19, 1956 H. B. HOWELL OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1953 I'll; I I IIIIIIIII Helena 3 Howe/l 9 5444?, m M M/ 2,751,225 OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Helena B. Howell, Coraopoiis Heights, Pa. Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,540 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-33) My invention relates to toys, and consists in certain new and useful improvements in toy merry-go-rounds, which may be constructed in larger sizes for children to ride, or in smaller sizes to afford playthings in the hands A of children.

The structure of the invention consists in a turn-table mounted upon a base for rotation in a horizontal plane. Seats are spaced above the top of the turn-table, and in the operation of the merry-go-round the seats reciprocate or oscillate vertically in coordination with the slow rotation of the turn-table.

The object of my invention is to provide in the combination of a turn-table with oscillating seats a particularly effective support for the seats.

A further object is to provide inexpensive yet efiicient means for rotating the turn-table in coordination with the oscillation of the seats.

Other objects will be apparent in the ensuing specificatron.

In the accompanying drawings, an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in plan of the merry-go-round;

Fig. 2 is a view of the merry-go-round partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, on the planes indicated at 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, illustrating in front elevation a modification of a portion of the driving mechanism of the merry-go-round;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the modified mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view to larger scale, showing in section a ratchet gear of the latter mechanism, the plane of section being indicated at VV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, showing in side elevation 21 modified form of support for each riding seat;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view comparable with Fig. 2, except that riders seats and their supports are omitted, serving to illustrate another modification of the driving mechanism of the merry-go-round; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating still another modification and elaboration of the driving mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the structure of the invention will be understood to comprise a turntable 2, mounted upon a base 3 for rotation in a horizontal plane. In this case the mounting means comprise a central post 4 integral with the turn-table, pivoted by a pin 5 upon the upper end of a post 6 rigid with the base 3, with a ball thrust bearing 7 interposed between the posts to reduce friction to a minimum during turn-table rotation.

A skirt 8 depends from the periphery of the turn-table, enclosing the base 3 and certain mechanism, presently to be described, whereby children are not exposed to injury.

The turn-table 2 and skirt 8 may be integrally formed of metal. Alternatively, such parts may be separately constructed of wood, or of other suitable material, and the two parts then united to provide the desired structure.

atent Patented June 19, 1956 Spread above the top of the turn-table is a plurality of seats for the support of children riding the merry-goround. In this case four seats 9 are shown in the form of simple circular disks of wood or metal, although it will be obvious that more elaborate saddle-shaped seats may be used, if desired. Means are provided for supporting the seats for vertical reciprocation or oscillation, and such means consist of an arm 10 for each seat. Advantageously, each arm 10 is formed of a leaf or strap of spring steel secured at its lower end 13, as by bolts or welding, to the body of the turn-table, and, extending angularly upward in a vertical plane, the arm at its upper end carries a seat 9. A bracket 11 extends upwardly from each arm 10 and carries a handle-bar 12, by means of which a child positioned on the associate seat 9 may steady himself.

A child positioned on a seat 9 may, by repeatedly exerting his weight up and down, flex the spring arm 10 and cause the seat 9 vertically to reciprocate or oscillate, with the effect that the child experiences the pleasing effects of riding a hobby horse. The elastic body of the arm 10, although it is repeatedly flexed and bowed between its fixed lower end and its upper seat-bearing end, may be said to move angularly in a plane normal to the top of the turn-table 2.

In modification, the body of each seat-supporting arm may be substantially inflexible, and pivoted at its lower end to the turn-table, as the arm 10a in Fig. 6 is pivoted at 130, and a coil-spring 14 may be arranged between the arm and the turn-table or other support, to cooperate with a child in producing the riding motion described. The tension of the spring 14 (and/ or the body of the leafspring 10) opposes the downward movement of the seat 9 and assists the upward movement of the seat.

So, a plurality of seats 9 is mounted upon the turn-table 2, each seat being secured to an arm that extends angularly downward from the seat to a point of attachment to the said turn-table. And as viewed in plan (Fig. 1) the several seat-supporting arms are arranged to extend in a general circumferential direction with respect to the axis 5 (Fig. 2) of the turn-table.

In further accordance with my invention, means are provided for translating the vertical motions of the several seats 9 into a rotary motion of the turn-table. Such means may comprise an annular gear 15 secured to the nether face of the turn-table. For each seat 9 a crank 16 (Fig. 2) is provided, and a connecting rod 17, pivoted at its upper end 18 to the associate seat, extends downwardly through a slot 19 in the turn-table body to its crank. The axle 23 of each crank is supported between two bearings 20 and 21 carried respectively by the skirt 8 and turn-table body 2. In this case the axle 23 of each crank, as viewed in plan, extends radially of the turntable, and projects radially inward from its inner bearing 21 and carries a pinion 22 that meshes with the gear 15. Thus, the vertical oscillation of the seats 9 is adapted to produce rotation of the cranks 16 and their pinions 22, whereby the gear 15 and the turn-table rotate in coordination with oscillating seats.

In lieu of the cranks 16 each of the pinion axles may be equipped with a ratchet-gear 1611 (Figs. 3-5). As shown in Fig. 5, the ratchet-gear may comprise a central cylindrical block 26 secured to, or integral with, the pinion axle 23a. A gear annulus 27 encompasses the block 26 and the gear teeth mesh. The block 26 is formed with two non-radial slots 26a, in each of which a steel ball 28 is retained. The structure of ball-ratchet devices of this sort are well-known in the art, wherefore further details of the structure and operation of the ratchet-gear 16a is needless for an understanding of my invention.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the rack 24 is equipped with two guide members 25 that slideably engage the hubs 165) of the gear 16a and hold the rack teeth in mesh with the gear teeth. A connecting rod 17a is secured to the rack unit 24, 25, and such rod extends upwardly through an opening in the turn-table (cf. the opening 19, Fig. 2) and is articulated to the bottom of: a seat 9. During each downward stroke of the connecting rod 170, the gear annulus 2'7 is rotated counterclockwise (Fig. and, through the effect of the ball-ratchet 26, 28, the axle 23a is likewise rotated. On the other hand, in each upward stroke of the rod 170 the gear annulus 27 turns clockwise, but the ball-ratchet is inelfective and idles. The axle 23a is not rotated during the upward strokes of the connecting rod 17a. In brief, the vertical reciprocation of the connecting rod 17a produces a step-by-step counterclockwise rotation of the axle 23a. It will be understood that the axle 23a may be mounted as the axles 23 are mounted in the structure first described, and may be equipped with a pinion that meshes with a turn-table gear, after the manner that the pinion 2.2 in Fig. 2 meshes with the gear 15. Thus, the reciprocation of the rack 24, produced by the vertical oscillation of the seat 9 connected thereto, results in the desired rotation of the turn-table 2. Each seat mounted upon the turn-table may be provided with a similar rack-and-gear drive mechanism, whereby the coordinated effects of the several units in oscillation produce a smooth operation of the merrygo-round.

in Fig. 7, 1 illustrate that the turn-table 2c with its skirt Sc may be equipped with a tapered roller 30 for each of the four seats (9, Figs. 1 and 2) of the merry-goround. Each roller 30 is provided with a rigid axle 31 journaled in a bearing 2% on the skirt Sb. The base 3b is provided with an annular rail portion 29 concentric with the axis of the turn-table, and such rail portion has a top surface that is inclined to match the taper of the rollers 33. The rollers 30 ride such rail surface and support the turn-table for ready rotation. A fiy-wheel or crank-disk i6!) is rigidly integrated with each roller 30, and the connecting rod 17b of each seat is eccentrically connected, as by a pin 42, to each cranledisk b. When the merry-go-round is in operation each connecting rod reciprocates vertically, rotating its crank-disk and the roller 3i} associated therewith. The several rollers 30 serve as traction wheels, and the rotation of such wheels, in frictional engagement with the annular rail portion 2%, produces the rotation of the turntable 2b. Each roller 30 and the annular rail portion 29 may be considered to be a frictional gear.

A further modification and elaboration of the structure of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 8, in which the turntable 2c and its skirt 8c are supported for rotation upon a shaft or axis 50 that is rigid with the turn-table. The shaft is borne within a pedestal journal 6 on the base 3c, and a ball bearing 36 is arranged within the journal to withstand the load-bearing thrust of the shaft. A gear 15c is mounted on the shaft and is adapted through a ballratchet 43 to engage the shaft for rotation with it in one direction and to rotate independently of it in the opposite direction. For each seat (9, Figs. 1 and 2) mounted on the turn-table a crank 160 is provided, with a connecting rod lic extended between each slot and its associate crank. Each crank is arranged, through an axle 23c, supported by bearings c and 210, to rotate a pinion 22c. The pinion 22c meshes with a gear 32 integral with a pinion 33 that is supported on a bolt 35 secured in a bearing block 34 carried by the turn-table. The pinion 33 meshes with the gear 150, with the consequence that the rotation of the crank 16c, under the effect of its connecting rod 17c in reciprocation, produces the positive rotation of the gear 15c, and, through the ball-ratchet 43, produces the rotation of the shaft 50, and of the turntable 20 integrated thereto. Each of the seats of the merry-go-round is provided with a driving mechanism, as described, comprising a conecting rod, a crank, a, pinion,

and a gear train, and the oscillation of the several seats effects the rotation of the turn-table.

The modified structure of Fig. 8 also includes means for assisting the rotation of the turn-table, and such means may comprise a coil or pancake spring 37 secured at its inner end, as at 38, to the pedestal journal 60 and at its outer end, as at 39, to the gear 15c. The spring 37 may be wound and stored with energy, by rotating the gear 15c relatively to the base 30 in the direction opposite to that which implements the normal rotation of the turntable in service. Means for thus energizing the spring 37 may comprise a hand-crank 41 adapted to be engaged on the squared end 40 of one of the axles 23c of the merry-go-round structure. By manually rotating the crank at in the direction opposite to that in which the axle 23c normally turns to drive the turn-table, the gear is r' ated counter to its normal direction of rotation, and this it does without moving the shaft 50, due to the idling of the ball-ratchet 43. In consequence the spring 37 may be wound and stored with energy. When, thereafter, the merry-go-round is operated, the torque of the spring assists in the rotation of the turn-table under the elfect of the riders on the oscillating seats on the turn-table.

In the event that the toy is provided, as it may be, in miniature (that is, in the size of a hand toy), the turntable may be rotated under the effect of the spring 37 alone, in which case the cranks 16c and the seats associated therewith become the driven rather than the driving members of the toy.

Other modifications, in addition to those described, may be adopted within the ken of the artisan and without departing from the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy merry-go-round comprising a turn-table mounted upon a base for rotation in a horizontal plane, a vertically oscillatory seat for a rider spaced above the top of said turn-table, means for supporting the entire weight of a rider comprising a spring-biased arm secured at one end to said seat and extending downwardly therefrom to a point of attachment to said turn-table, said arm being angularly movable with respect to said point of attachment to admit of the substantially vertical oscillatory movement of the seat, an annular gear concentric with and secured to rotate with said turn-table, a pinion rotatably mounted for driving engagement with said gear, and pinion rotating means interconnecting the arm-andseat unit with said pinion, the latter means comprising a connecting rod extending downwardly from beneath said seat and being vertically reciprocable under the direct effect of the alternate thrusts of the vertically exerted weight of the rider and the spring-biasing force of the arm for translating the vertical oscillation of said armand-seat unit to the rotation of said pinion, with the consequent rotation of the turn-table.

2. A toy merry-go-round comprising a turn-table mounted upon a base for rotation in a horizontal plane, a plurality of vertically oscillatory seats for riders spaced above the top of said turn-table, means for supporting the entire weights of the riders comprising for each seat a spring-biased arm secured at one end to the seat and extending downwardly therefrom to a point of attachment to said turn-table, each arm being angularly movable with respect to said point of attachment to admit of said substantially vertical oscillatory movement of the seat carried thereby, an annular gear concentric with and secured to rotate with said turn-table, a plurality of pinions rotatably mounted for driving engagement with said annular gear at points spaced apart circumferentially of the gear, and pinion-rotating means interconnecting the arrnand-seat units severally with said pinions, the latter means comprising a connecting rod for each arm-and-seat unit, eachconnecting rod extending downwardly from beneath the seat of the associate unit and being vertically reciprocable under the direct effect of the alternate thrustsof the vertically exerted weight of the riderof the Unit and of the spring-biasing force of the arm of the unit for translating the vertical oscillation of the unit to the rotation of said pinion, whereby the riders of the several arm-and-seat units cooperate to drive the several pinions for effecting the smooth rotation of the turn-table.

3. A toy merry-go-round including a turn-table mounted upon a base for rotation in a horizontal plane, a plurality of vertically oscillatory spring-biased arms attached to said turn-table at points spaced apart circumferentially of the table and inclined upwardly from said points of attachment to load-bearing distal ends of the arms, mechanism operable in concert with the vertical oscillations of said arms for rotating said turntable, said mechanism comprising an annular gear concentric with and secured to rotate with said turn-table, a plurality of pinions meshed with said gear at spaced-apart points circumferentially thereof, means including a crank connected to each pinion and a connecting rod interconnecting each vertically oscillatory arm with its associate crank, whereby as said arms oscillate said pinions rotate, a coiled spring arranged to exert rotative stress upon said annular gear, and means for winding said spring to store gearrotating energy therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 396,472 Duncan Jan. 22, 1889 820,111 Hermann May 8, 1906 1,466,845 Maxwell Sept. 4, 1923 1,821,462 Colella Sept. 1, 1931 1,922,466 Yoes Aug. 15, 1933 2,447,203 OToole Aug. 17, 1948 2,638,345 Norvell May 12, 1953 

